During the installation of fluid handling systems, such as pipelines and production control facilities for oil production, petroleum, chemical and petrochemical processing facilities, etc., flow lines are typically installed by bolting, threading or welding various sections or components of the flow line in assembly. Where the flow line components, such as pipe and pipe fittings, are connected by welding, it is necessary that the flow line components be very accurately positioned and supported at least until such time as the components are firmly interconnected during the welding process.
Pipe elements intended to be welded together are typically prepared for welding by machining beveled end surfaces thereon. Other flow line components having beveled end surfaces are then positioned in closely spaced relation, with the end surfaces being precisely parallel and the tubular walls being precisely coextensive. When positioned in this manner, the flow line components are then typically tack welded sufficiently to prevent inadvertent separation or misalignment of the components. After this has been done the welding operation is then conducted in such manner that weld metal completely fills a V-shaped groove defined cooperatively by the tubular flow line components to be joined.
When flow line fittings, such as tee fittings and elbow fittings, are manufactured, the various openings thereof are oriented in very precise manner. For example, the openings of a 45.degree. or 90.degree. elbow fitting are oriented at precisely 45.degree. and 90.degree., respectively. Typically, welding operations are conducted only after the fittings have been precisely oriented with respect to other flow line components and with respect to the horizontal and vertical. When a fitting is properly oriented in conventional manner, a level may be placed against the opening and the leveling bubble of the level will be precisely centered. By carefully insuring that each flow line component is accurately positioned with respect to the horizontal and vertical, fluid handling apparatus can be simply and efficiently manufactured and the resulting fluid handling structure will not be subjected to any undue mechanical strain resulting from improper alignment of the various components thereof.
In order to accurately position pipe fittings such as tees and elbows, especially when such pipe fittings are of large and heavy nature, it is desirable to provide some suitable means for supporting the pipe fittings and for achieving proper orientation of the pipe fittings prior to tack welding and welding procedures. Elbow and tee fittings, however, are very difficult to position accurately for welding operations because of the unusual configuration thereof. Devices that function adequately for support of pipe sections therefore are typically completely inadequate for the purpose of supporting conventional tee and elbow fittings. Although special fitting support devices have been developed, these are typically unsatisfactory for general flow line fabrication for the reason that a number of different kinds of support devices are typically necessary. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a support mechanism for support of flow line components that is universally adaptable to various kinds of pipe fittings that are typically utilized for welding fabrication of fluid handling systems.